Experience Aston Martin's F1 garage with virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) technology has brought the excitement of standing in the pits of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team to fans worldwide.
During the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone, motorsport enthusiasts and visitors were the first to experience an immersive VR replica of the Aston Martin F1 garage. As the British Grand Prix roared in the background, they used VR headsets to explore and configure models from Aston Martin's iconic vehicle portfolio.
In collaboration with Aston Martin, the management and IT consultancy firm MHP introduced this new VR experience at the Silverstone Grand Prix. The setup allowed participants to enter a 3D space where they could select, design, and virtually test Aston Martin vehicle models. Users could virtually sit in their customised vehicle, operate cockpit functions, and design the interior, all within a realistic VR environment.
Florian Langer, partner at MHP: "The new Aston Martin VR Experience offers users a customised and virtual product experience because, on the one hand, they can playfully and quickly navigate between different views, including the Aston Martin F1 garage. On the other hand, in combination with a VR headset, the exterior and interior can be viewed and designed in a level of detail that no other configurator can offer."
Powered by the Meta Quest 3 VR headset, this virtual experience debuted at the Formula 1 Grand Prix and is slated for future use at exclusive Aston Martin events. The online configurator, developed by MHP, has been available for models like the DB12 Coupé, DB 12 Volante, DBX707, Vantage, DBS770 Ultimate Coupé, DBS770 Ultimate Volante, and Valour since 2021.
The configurator has now been extended to include the new Aston Martin special edition DBX707 AMR24. This model pays tribute to Aston Martin's Aramco Formula 1 team and its motorsport achievements. The luxury SUV boasts a technologically advanced interior with design elements inspired by Formula 1 aesthetics and functionality. Using the MHP configurator, users can configure the vehicle in three different colours with exclusive AMR Lime or Trophy Silver highlights on the sculpted body kit. The highlight is the cockpit, which combines luxury and performance, reflecting Aston Martin's F1 racing car, the ‘AMR24 F1’, and the Official Medical Car of F1.
Patrick Dittrich, Manager at MHP explains: "We bring the Formula 1 world of Aston Martin to the customer in their living room or at the dealership. Everything can be designed in real time in front of a selection of various photorealistic 3D backgrounds. Finally, the vehicle can also be viewed via a 3D stream in which the user can freely rotate the vehicle and view it from all sides in 3D."
MHP's Content Platform (ECP), utilising the Unreal Engine developed by Epic Games, powers the VR experience. Google Cloud ensures stable, secure, and scalable real-time product visualisation, allowing the application to be available online to a large audience as a live 3D stream.
The VR configurator offers a more innovative and personalised experience, strengthening the connection between Aston Martin customers and the brand. It has been shown to increase both traffic and sales, as prospective customers explore more configurations and opt for additional features. This leads to higher potential sales per vehicle and enhances the emotional aspect of the buying experience.